Cable-drum.



A. A. PIPER. CABLE DRIjM.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 6 1908.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

U ED STATES PATENT onmcn. I

ALV-IN A. rmcn, or GLEVELAND, oniqlssrerion 'ro CLEVELAND ARMATURE weeks, or

, CLEVELAND, OHIO, A PARTNERSHIP.

oABLE-nnuu.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

' Application filed. March 6, 1908. Serial-No. 419,520.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN A. PIPER, a citizen of the United States, resident of Cleve: land, county of (Juyahoga, and Stateof Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gable-Drums, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention. being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My present invention relates to winding drums for use in. connection with movable electrically operated apparatus or machines, such drum being designed to reel up the cables forming the electrical conductors that carry the necessary current to such apparatus. Examples of the apparatus referred to are found in the electrically operated drills that are used in 1nines,'and in the lifting magnets, or similar apparatus, largely employed about shops.

he object of the invention is the provision of a drum of the character just described that will automatically maintain the con. ductor cables taut andat the same time allow them to be paid out as the tool'or; ma

they are. connected is at the drum is maintained unbroken.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter full}; described and particularly pointed out in t e claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mech-- anism embodying the invention, such (11sclosed means constituting,'however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the inventionmay be used.

In said annexed drawin Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cable drum embodying my several improvements; and Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the same.

Support for the drum A which forms the prime element'of the structure constitutin my invention, is furnished by a horizonta shaft A the ends of which are mounted in suitable brackets b u on a base B. The drum itself is, as usua a hollow cylindrical structure and may be built up in any approved fashion, being composed as illusare two conductors a,

- ends of the two cab oint-to a point-more re-' trated of two corresponding halves a, each forming 'oneflanged end of the drum and the corresponding portion of the drum body. One such end is provided with a laterally extending hub portion a u on which are mounted two rings a. of com noting material as cop )er, such" rings being insulated from the hu and from each other. Parallel with the shaft upon which the drum is mounted p the outer end which are respectively connected with the aforesaid rings, the inner ends of which extend into the hollow interior of the drum A and are there connected with suitable binding posts a projecting on the outer cylindrlcal surface of the drum, being mounted in a block a of insulating material inserted in the drum periphery. These posts aflord means for attachin to the drum the inner as O which form, as has been described, he means for carr ing current to the tool or machine, not s own, in connection with which the drum is to be used. The current for the conductors is supplied to the respective rings a? through oppositely disposed brushes a? from holders or arms I) and bearing on such rings respectively. Suitable conductors a are connected with each holder and with binding posts a to which leads to the mains supplying the apparatus are in turn affixed. It will thus be seen that irrespective of whether the cables 0. wound upon the drum areextended their-full length or are almost entirely wo nd upon the drum, they will at all times ha e electrical, connection with the source of current. Normally such cables are designed to be retained wound up upon the drum by means of a coil-s rin A secured at its inner end about the shaft A within such drum, the outer end of such spring being attached to the drum itself. As t 1e cables are unwound the spring is coiled up more and more tightly so that upon the cables being slackened, the latter are again wound up owin to the tendency of the spring to rotate t to its normal position.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made asregards the mechanism herein disclosed, ,provided the means stated by any one of.the \following claims or the equivalent of such l stated means be employed.

s ofsupported;

e drum until it is returned designed I therefore particularly point out and distinctlv claim as my invention:

11 a device of the character described, the combination of a fixed shaft; a drum mounted thereon and provided witha laterally extending hub; two insulated rings of conducting material mounted upon the hub of said drum; two brushes connected-with a source of current and respectively bearing upon said two rings; a coil sprin within 'said drum, said spring being attache to the same and to said shaft so as to tend to rotate the former and retain it in normal the latter; two conductors wound upon said drum and adapted to form part of an electric circuit; and conductors, parallel with said shaft, connected with said rings respectively and extending within said drum, the inner ends of said conductors being connected with said conductors, respectively.

2. in a device of the character described, the combination of a fixed shaft; a drum mounted thereon and provided with a latertwo insulated rings of all extending hub;

conducting material mounted. upon the hub of said drum; two brushes connected with a source of current and respectively bearing on said two rings; a coil-spring within said drum, said spring being attached to the same and to said shaft so as to tend to rotate the it in normal position about the latter; two conductors wound upon said drum and adapted to form part of an electric circuit; an insulated-block inserted in the perilphery of said drum; binding posts in said b ock for the inner ends of said conductors; and other conductors, parallel with said shaft, connected with said rings, respect1vely, and extending within said drum, the Inner ends of said last named conductors being connected with said binding posts, respectively.

Signed by me this 2nd day of March, 1908.

ALVIN A. PIFER.

Attested byhiARY ISRAEL, JNO. F. OBERLIN. 

